Sadc regional parliament inches closer

Source: The Herald – Breaking news.

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 President Boko signed the agreement on Wednesday at an event that was witnessed by Speaker of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda, who is the chairman of the strategic lobbying team for the transformation of the SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF) into a regional parliament. – Picture: BW Parliament.

Farirai Machivenyika-Senior Reporter

Botswana President Duma Boko has signed the agreement amending the SADC Treaty to transform the SADC Parliamentary Forum into a regional parliament and enhance the harmonisation of laws within the region.

President Boko signed the agreement on Wednesday at an event that was witnessed by Speaker of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda, who is the chairman of the strategic lobbying team for the transformation of the SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF) into a regional parliament.

He signed the agreement at a ceremony in Gaborone that was attended by several dignitaries including Dithapelo Keorapetse, Speaker of the National Assembly of Botswana, Thoko Didiza, Speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa, Moeti Mohwasa, Botswana’s Minister for State President and SADC’s Executive Secretary, Elias Magosi, among others.

Botswana becomes the 14th member State to sign the agreement, leaving only Mauritius as the only country yet to do so.

“Thank you all for attending this landmark signing ceremony. In my capacity as the chairman of the strategic lobbying team for the transformation of the SADC PF into a regional parliament, I can assert today that the process of transformation has made a huge leap forward by the signature from Botswana.

“The signature represents a huge leap in many respects, but especially because Botswana is also the seat of the SADC Secretariat which is at the heart of all SADC operations. The signature by Botswana thus gives renewed confidence and impetus to the transformation agenda of the Forum,” Advocate Mudenda said.

He added that Botswana’s signature demonstrated that the transformation agenda rides on the pedestal of inclusivity and that no member of parliament and SADC country should be left out in the process.

“I am also pleased to mention that earlier this week, we received correspondence from the National Assembly of Madagascar to the effect that the President of the Republic of Madagascar, His Excellency, Andry Nirina Rajoelina, has also signed the agreement amending the SADC Treaty. With the signatures of Botswana and Madagascar, this leaves only Mauritius as the only country of the 15 SADC-PF Member countries which is yet to sign the Agreement,” Advocate Mudenda said. 

The Speaker also said more work still needed to be done to make the transformation agenda fully mature.

“As you are aware, the protocol on the SADC Parliament is already in circulation and it needs to be both signed and ratified by two-thirds of SADC member States for transformation to actually take effect.

“Thus, we encourage all countries, including Botswana, to examine the protocol and give comments to the SADC Secretariat so that a final version can be presented to the 45th SADC submit at its next sitting,” he said.

Once the protocol is signed and ratified by two-thirds of the SADC member states, which would constitute 11 States, then the Protocol would be effective as from the date of its coming into operation.

The event underscored the collective commitment of SADC member states to enhance regional cooperation, legislative harmonisation and democratic governance. The Transformation of the SADC PF into a Regional Parliament is poised to strengthen multilateralism and promote sustainable development across the Southern African region.